Friday, 21 September:

IPEN Press Release- Lead Paint Elimination Resolution Adopted at International Conference

(Nairobi, Kenya) An international conference whose goal is to minimize harm to human health and environment from chemical exposure by 2020 has called on all governments, civil society and the private sector to provide technical and financial assistance to eliminate lead paint in all countries.

Although lead in paint has been banned in most highly industrial countries for more than 40 years, recent testing by IPEN and others found that household paints with high levels of lead are still sold in many developing countries despite the fact that safer, cost-effective alternatives to the lead additives are widely available.

“When the evidence of harm is so clear and has been available for so long, why not eliminate lead from all paints immediately to protect human health?” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Public Health and the Environment, World Health Organization (WHO), during the high level dialogue at the Third International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM3). Read more…..

The resolution can be found on page 33 of the report from the meeting.

Wednesday, 19 September:

IPEN Press Release-  African Region Plays Leading Role at Global Negotiations For Safe Chemicals Management Plan

(Nairobi, Kenya) The African Region is playing a key leadership role at an international meeting to develop a global strategy and support for the safe management of chemicals. Recognizing the imbalance in advances in managing and handling dangerous chemicals between the developed and developing worlds, the African government leaders are advancing – and winning support for – proposals that they say are badly needed in both Africa and the rest of the developing world. Read more…..

Wednesday, 19 September:

 IPEN Steering Committee Member Eugeniy Lobanov from the NGO Centre for Environmental Solutions interviewed by Belarusian press  about the ICCM3 main issues and NGO position

Tuesday, 18 September:

IPEN & iLima Press Release- Study Shows Dangerous Lead Levels in Paints in Kenya

(Nairobi, Kenya) : Most major paint companies in Kenya sell paint for household use containing unsafe levels of lead according to the first study of lead in decorative paint in Kenya released today.

“Exposure to even small amounts of lead can reduce the child’s intelligence and school performance; and can also cause increased violent behavior, so high levels of lead in paint are a cause for serious concern.  Painted surfaces deteriorate with time or when disturbed, and lead from the paint then contaminates household dust and soils surrounding the home. Children ingest lead from dusts and soils during normal hand to mouth behavior. Damage to children’s intelligence and mental development occurs, even when there are no obvious or clinical signs of lead poisoning. This damage is lifelong and irreversible,” said Cecilia Nganga, executive director for iLima, the Kenyan NGO which carried out the paint sampling project. Read more….

Report: Lead in Kenyan Household Paint

Media: Continued Lead Exposure From Paints Will Shutter Next Generation Dreams, New Report warns (E-News Service)

Monday, 17 September:

IPEN Press Release- UN CHEMICALS AGREEMENT NOT ON TRACK TO MEET GOALS BY 2020 Chemicals use growing faster than controls

(Nairobi, Kenya) International efforts to develop a global plan for the safe management of chemicals are not on track and unlikely to meet the goal of minimizing chemicals’ adverse health and environmental impacts by 2020, IPEN representatives said at the start of the 3^rd International Conference on Chemicals Management. Read more (English, português, русский, español)……

Monday, 17 September:

Chemical Watch: Stakeholders meet to discuss SAICM progress

IPEN issued a number of papers at the start of ICCM3. These included positions on lead in paint and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), as well as a statement on progress towards the 2020 goal. Manny Calonzo, IPEN co-chair, said: “Right now, Saicm is not on track to achieve the 2020 goal, because chemicals production and use is growing faster than our regulatory and enforcement efforts.”

Read the entire article.